


Vacant Position: Best Friend

by sozmom



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Best Friends, Gen, Kinda, damn steve you did this bitch, endgame spoilers, introspective, really - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-28
Updated: 2019-04-28
Packaged: 2020-02-08 14:03:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18624742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sozmom/pseuds/sozmom
Summary: For the first time in years Sam's left without a best friend, as juvenile as it sounds. He's not the only one with a vacant spot though.





	Vacant Position: Best Friend

They’re driving back towards the city that night when the thought occurs to Sam. That this is the first time in years that he doesn’t technically have a best friend anymore. It used to be Riley (even if they were more), then it was an empty void of friends and family but no one that filled that juvenile spot of ‘Best’. Then one day he meets a famous asshole who just so happens to wiggle his way into the vacant position with his too trusting nature and incredible stubbornness.

And now that same guy is an old man, looking to retire to a life of quiet and leaving Sam with the biggest fucking departure gift a man could give. The title of Captain fucking America.

Sam closes his eyes and practices some small breathing techniques, letting his heart beat slow until it matches the faint rumble of the car. It would do him no good getting worked up about the weight that’s been placed on his shoulders. If he keeps it there it’ll restrict him, hold him down as it would burden not only his back, but his wings.

And while Steve had super serum, Sam had the sky.

‘The sky’s the limit baby’ His mothers smooth voices rings in his mind.

When Sam feels centered again he pried open his eyes and caught Barnes’s concerned ones in the rearview mirror. He shoots him a quick smile, a reassuring one that doesn’t quite look sincere.

The second thought that occurs to him is that Barnes was also now without a best friend.

“Steve’s an asshole” Sam declared suddenly, desperate to not be stuck with his thoughts. It’s was the first time they’d spoken since Barnes said he’d drive them back to the tower in New York.

A soft low chuckle comes from the man on his left. “Captain Asshole” Barnes murmurs, eyes flicking back towards the road.

Sam snorts and feels a genuine smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“My new prestigious title” He jokes, thinking of the shield in the trunk and how the hell he’s supposed to incorporate it into his regular fly and shoot shtick.

“Need a wingman?” He asks and Sam feels his throat close up at the words. After all of this Sam was surprised Barnes still wanted to fight the good fight. Having Nazi’s fuck up your brain gives you free access to a permanent vacation in Sam’s humble opinion.

“Don’t need a wingman” Sam told him, noting how his eyebrows furrowed in disappointment. “Could use a sharp shooter though” He added, knocking his elbow good-naturedly against Barnes’s arm.

The ex soldier smiled and it changed his face completely, made him look ten years younger. It reminded Sam of the pictures he saw in a museum of a man named James Buchanan Barnes.

He knows they’re not the same people. And Barnes’s knows that too. The only person who probably wasn’t acutely aware of that fact was his best friend. Also coincidentally Sam’s best friend.

Ex-Best Friend. Because the Steve Rodgers on that bench was not the same one that had left him seconds previously.

But Barnes was still Barnes. And Sam could see him almost far too easily slipping into that vacant role.

It was just a thought, a passing one.

**Author's Note:**

> Can't wait for marvel to never provide me with Sam and Bucky content ever again.   
> Jk, idk I just wanted to write a lil introspective piece on the end of endgame and the implications now that technically the only person in Bucky and Sam's lives are mainly each other.


End file.
